"Trump's Day Of Doom For National Monuments Approaches"

"Created by Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, the Cascade-Siskiyou monument protects Oregon’s extraordinary biodiversity, from butterflies to trout. But a Trump review threatens to open the landscape to the timber industry".

"Dave Willis, a grizzled woodsman and backcountry outfitter, has spent decades laboring to protect the mountains of southwestern Oregon, one of the most beautiful, biodiverse regions in the country.

Through grassroots activism, Willis and his conservationist allies have won the support of two US presidents. In 2000, Bill Clinton created the roughly 52,000-acre Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, proclaiming it an “ecological wonderland”. Located just outside of Ashland, it was the first such monument established solely for its extraordinary species diversity. It’s a place that harbors rare lilies and endemic trout, Pacific fishers and goshawks, black bears and a stunning array of butterflies.

During his final week in office, meanwhile, Barack Obama added about 48,000 acres to the Cascade-Siskiyou monument, nearly doubling it in size.

Now, the Trump administration is threatening to undo it all. In April, the White House announced its intent to review 27 different national monument designations, as the Interior Department looks for commercial opportunities for the oil, mining and timber industries on American public lands. And the Cascade-Siskiyou preserve is on the list."

Jimmy Tobias reports for the Guardian August 20, 2017.

SEE ALSO:

"Shrink This National Monument In The Mojave Desert? Conservationists Are Appalled"
 (Palm Springs Desert Sun)

"Interior: Decision Time Looms For 20 Monuments" (Greenwire)

"27 National Monuments Are Under Review. Here Are Five to Watch." (New York Times)